Florida Underground Churches Exposed in City Sting

The City of Lake Worth, Florida has dispatched undercover agents to attend gatherings of citizens suspected of engaging in unlicensed Christian worship services.

“I walked back to the Coffee Bar and was able to visualize, in my opinion what appeared to be a ministry in progress. . . . People holding what appeared to be bibles or religious books as one had a cross on it. . . . I was approached by an unknown man with a cross around his neck.”
-- Gerard A. Coscia, city code enforcement officer, wrote in his narrative of a covert videotape.

For background, click headlines below to read previous articles:

Florida City Finds Family Guilty of Home Bible Studies

Phoenix Christian Jailed for Home Worship Gatherings

Pastor's Wife Fined for Praying Too Loud in North Dakota

City Permit Required for Bible Study in California

Bible Study Limit in Homes in Texas City Rescinded

Also read 'God Bless America' Banned from Florida School

In addition, read Atheists Commandeer City Council Invocations in Lake Worth, FL



-- From "War on religion? Lake Worth orders churches to have license to pray" by Kathleen Walter, WPEC-CBS12TV (West Palm Beach, FL) 2/26/15

At the Common Ground Coffee Bar in Lake Worth, Pastor Mike Olive--the owner--holds two religious services on Sundays that he says city officials are trying to stop.

He says a notice was sent to his landlord that the coffee bar doesn't have the permits to operate as a religious institution. Pastor Mike Olive said, “We had one gentleman come in from the city wearing a hoodie, and he was hiding the camera in the pockets of his hoodie.”

The nearby First Baptist Church paid the almost $500 inspection and use of occupancy fees. CBS12 asked city councilmember Christopher McVoy if this is a business tax? McVoy responded, “I can't tell you the exact answer on that. It's not a business tax, but there will be a fee involved.” CBS12 investigated if this is in line with other municipalities. In the Village of North Palm Beach, churches are exempt from a business tax and are subjected to a $50-to-$75 fire inspection fee.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Liberty Counsel: City Can’t Make Churches Pay to Pray" by Margaret Menge, The Lake Worth Tribune 2/28/15

In the letter [to City Manager Michael Bornstein] from Liberty Counsel, attorney Richard Mast refers to the city’s “egregious treatment” of Common Ground Church.

“The City has inexplicably targeted CG Church for investigation, despite the fact that CG Church has made no secret of its weekly worship and other meetings since the Coffee Bar opened in November 2014 (and prior thereto, when CG Church met for six months at the same location run by the previous secular coffee bar).”

The letter [from the City to the property owner], Mast writes, cites the church’s lack of a “license,” requests that the “violation” be corrected by March 2 or a hearing would be held April 30 before the Special Magistrate and also threatens the property owner with fines of $200-$500 a day and potential foreclosure action if the property owner does not “correct” the violation.

The [Liberty Counsel] letter specifically refers to Commissioner Andy Amoroso, who owns a newsstand and gay pornography shop on Lake Avenue, and his conversation a few weeks back with Pastor Mike Olive, in which Olive says Amoroso pointed at him and said, of the coffee bar: “You better not have a church there. That better not be a church.”

Mark Woods, the manager of the city’s Code Compliance Department, told the Tribune last week that the code action regarding Common Grounds Coffee Bar was the result of an anonymous complaint. William Waters [who oversees the building and code compliance departments] told the Tribune last week that the code compliance officer was sent to investigate the coffee shop because of “several” anonymous complaints. E-mails obtained by the Tribune in a public records request show that William Waters was alerting staff about the church in September, well before the coffee shop opened, writing, “We need to look into the church that is growing down the street along the east side of the South J Street between Lake and 1st” and stating that “a lot of downtown people” are concerned about it.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Florida city wages soviet-style crackdown on churches" by Todd Starnes, FoxNews.com 3/5/15

Pastor Mike Olive told me there had not been any problems until early last month, when he had an encounter with Andy Amoroso, a city commissioner.

“After we opened up the coffee bar and started doing services, I heard that he told people we were anti-gay,” Olive said. “So I went to his shop to ask him about that. . . . He pointed at me and said, ‘Listen, you better not have a church down there.”

“Government employees are public servants and prohibited by the Constitution from inhibiting religious freedom,” said Mat Staver, founder of the religious liberty law firm Liberty Counsel. “That is a far cry from sneaking around and into a church and acting like KGB agents.”

Staver is calling on city leaders to immediately rescind the business license mandate on churches. He is also representing Common Ground Church, the congregation that was targeted by the city’s investigator.

Staver said the city’s actions violate the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, the Florida Constitution, the Florida Religious Freedom Restoration Act and the federal Religious Land Uses and Institutionalized Persons Act.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Lake Worth denies targeting churches, but paper trail says it did" by Vanessa Garcia Rodriguez, Christian Examiner 3/6/15

Lake Worth officials are denying claims they threatened local churches with fines and foreclosures if they did not possess business licenses.

A letter to City Manager Michael Bornstein by the Orlando-based non-profit Liberty Counsel on behalf of Common Ground Church referenced the city's request for a business license "by March 2, 2015, or a hearing would be held April 30, 2015 before the Special Magistrate."


Now the city says Common Ground Church does not require a "business license" -- which requires payment of a business tax from which churches are exempt -- and that the congregation only needs a use and occupancy (U&O) certificate (for "safety purposes") apart from that of the 2,500 square foot coffee bar.

City Manager, Mike Bornstein, told Raw Story the dispute apparently was a misunderstanding and produced a letter from the city to Olive relaying that information.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

Also read Homosexualists Admit Goal to End Religious Liberty

And read Vice President Biden Says 'Gay Rights' Trump Religious Beliefs but Pastors Lead Local Battles Against 'Gay Rights'

VA City Stops Christmas Trees for Cancer Giveaway

Christian Critzer, who is a tree farmer in Waynesboro, Virginia, was giving away Christmas trees in favor of donations for the Martha Jefferson Hospital Cancer Center Foundation in Charlottesville.  However, the city classified his good-deeds operation as a for-profit retail business and promptly shut him down for a zoning violation.

“This year has certainly been plagued with its fair share of Scrooges and Grinches disguised as government agents . . . It’s our hope that Waynesboro officials will focus on solving the many real and pressing problems plaguing their community rather than creating problems where there are none.”
-- John W. Whitehead, president of the Rutherford Institute, representing Christian Critzer

For other Christmas Grinch stories, read Christmas Music at School is a 'Form of Bullying' and also read Nativity Banned at Florida School by Obama Dept. of Education as well as Nativity Demolished by Obama Administration at Navy Base and also read 'Christmas' Trees Banned by North Carolina College

-- From "Waynesboro board: No tree charity within neighborhood" by Roger Gonzalez, The (Waynesboro) News Virginian 12/22/12

“He is breaking the law,” Councilor Frank Lucente said. “We have laws. You cannot run businesses in neighborhoods. When you start interpreting the law, where does it stop? It’s against the law to set up a business in a residential neighborhood ... You have to have laws to regulate things ... It’s against the law to do it. End of story.”

Critzer aimed to accumulate funds that would be used for custom wigs for those battling cancer. His wife is a breast cancer survivor, and he wanted to “demonstrate the spirit of Christmas,” while also providing trees to low-income families.

“The laws that they said I was breaking, I wasn’t,” Critzer said. “It’s as simple as that … I grew up in the neighborhood when it was farm and fields. Saying that my yard is any type of a business ... I was just running a charity, not a business. I think I’m getting picked on. It’s time sensitive, selling Christmas trees. This was my last weekend to sell. I didn’t meet my goal. I will meet it, someway. I will have a Christmas tree charity somewhere in town. I’m not going to stop doing this. It’s ridiculous. I hope that I can do it here. Nobody really has a problem with it.”

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Scrooge City ends Christmas tree fundraiser" posted at Augusta Free Press (Waynesboro, Va) 12/23/12

You can hold as many unregulated yard sales as you want in Waynesboro. Try to raise money for cancer patients by selling Christmas trees in a quasi-residential area, though, and the long arm of the zoning law will come down on you.

The city responded in Scrooge fashion. On Nov. 26, a zoning official issued a citation to Critzer for running a retail business in a residential area. Critzer responded by deciding to give away the trees for free while also accepting donations to be sent to the hospital foundation, but the city demanded an end to that activity as well.

The Charlottesville-based Rutherford Institute has come to Critzer’s defense, pointing out that Critzer’s tree giveaway cannot be considered a retail activity as the proceeds are intended for charity.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Grinch city shuts down Christmas tree handout" posted at World Net Daily 12/22/12

It was on Nov. 26 when a zoning official showed up on Critzer’s doorstep to tell him he couldn’t run a retail business in the home.

[Critzer] agreed to the [shut down] order to prevent the city from bringing a legal action against the owner of his rental home.

Rutherford says it’s contacting the city to try to get what it describes as an “erroneous” interpretation of the zoning code fixed.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

City Finds Family Guilty of Home Bible Studies

Officials in Venice, Florida say a $250-per-day fine against Shane and Marlene Roessiger for holding unauthorized weekly Bible study and prayer involving a handful of Christians in their home is justified as a "zoning violation."

“That may be fine in some tyrannical parts of the world. That is not okay in the United States of America.”
-- Brad Dacus, president of the Pacific Justice Institute (representing the Christians vs. the government)

For background, read Religious Liberty & Anti-Christian Totalitarianism in America and also read Phoenix Christian Jailed for Home Worship Gatherings as well as City Permit Required for Bible Study in California

UPDATE 6/15/14: Bible Study Limit in Homes in Texas City Rescinded



-- From "Venice dispute erupts over religious sign in yard" by Kim Hackett, Correspondent, Sarasota Herald-Tribune 9/6/12

When does praying at home with a group of believers cross into illegally operating a church in a neighborhood? And can a city allow political signs on a residential yard but not religious ones?

Weighty constitutional issues that are typically reserved for federal or state courts found their way before this city's Code Enforcement Board on Thursday in the case of Venice versus the William and Florence Brewer Trust and Linda Roessiger.

"I'm going to stand for what I believe," said ministry leader Shane Roessiger, who lives in the house.

Members of the In Him Healing Touch Ministry said they, too, listen to a higher authority and will not take down the "Need Prayer?" sign or a 20-foot white, blood-red splattered crucifix, regardless of how the city rules.

The group vows to take the matter to federal court.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Family Faces Fines for Hosting Bible Study" by Todd Starnes, Fox News 9/17/12

“It is difficult to understand how it is illegal to have a prayer meeting on Friday night with a half dozen people but it is alright if I invited the same group on Monday evening to watch Monday night Football,” Roessiger said.

The Roessigers are also facing a fine for putting a small sign in their front yard that reads: “Need Prayer (941) 484-4915.”

“The Code Enforcement Board has continued both cases, although Mr. Roessiger was found guilty a few months ago of zoning violation (as it relates to land use),” [Pam Johnson, a spokesperson for the city of Venice] said. “It has not been determined at this time if the use violation has been abated. No determination of guilt has been made for the sign issue because the case is continued.”

Johnson confirmed that the two cases involve a code infraction regarding the use of a sign and a zoning infraction regarding using their home as a ‘house of worship.’

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "City Threatens Family With $250 Per Day Fine For Weekly Prayer Meeting In Home" posted at Pacific Justice Institute 8/27/12

The Roessigers head a small ministry called In Him Healing Touch Ministries. Like many small nonprofits, they initially chose to get mail at their home instead of renting out a post office box. Venice Code Enforcement officials are using the listing of the residence as the ministry's address to build a case against the Roessigers. In addition to prayer and Bible study, the ministry has food outreaches in the community and engages in foreign missions work. The latter includes ministering to people living in garbage dumps through providing meals and religious services.

In a letter sent by attorney Kevin Snider of the Pacific Justice Institute, the City Code Enforcement Board was informed that the corporate address has been changed so that the home address is no longer listed with the Florida Secretary of State. However, this family intends to continue to exercise their rights to the use and enjoyment of their property for prayer and Bible study, Snider wrote. In an unusual response, the Board "continued the matter indefinitely."

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

Also read California Pastor Arrested for Reading Bible in Public

Phoenix Christian Jailed for Home Worship Gatherings

Michael Salman, owner of Mighty Mike's Burgers, has been sentenced to jail (possibly for years) because he and his wife Suzanne have a few dozen family & friends to their 1.5-acre property every week where they study the Bible, worship God, and pray in Jesus' name. Although their gatherings are private -- not advertised to the public in any way -- the court ruled that ANY Christian worship gathering on their property is against the law.

For background, read Arizona City Bans Bible Studies in Homes and also read City Permit Required for Bible Study in Calif. as well as 'Big Brother' Requires Permit for Home Bible Study

Related story: California Pastor Arrested for Reading Bible in Public

UPDATES 7/16/12: Christian, now in jail, will appeal to Feds

FOX News video:


FOX News video:


FOX News video:


-- From "Pastor Michael Salman Reports to Jail Over Phoenix Home-Worship Flap, but Gets Turned Away; 60-Day Sentence Still Looms" by Ray Stern, Phoenix New Times 6/20/12

. . . The home has even been raided by police -- twice. City inspectors say a structure on the property where the gatherings take place isn't safe.

After a lengthy battle in federal court, last week a judge denied his motion to block the sentence and tossed his civil lawsuit. Theoretically, that meant he should have to serve the sentence.

But it seems as though city officials lost their nerve after Salman self-surrendered and was booked in at the Maricopa County jail. Inexplicably, jail officials sent him home, Salman says.

However, in the meantime, he and his attorney plan to file another motion with the U.S. Ninth Circuit of Appeals in an attempt to stall or quash the sentence.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.


From "Ariz. Preacher Sentenced to Jail After Building 'Private' Church in Backyard" by Nicola Menzie, Christian Post Reporter 6/21/12

The preacher, whose ministry is called Harvest Christian Fellowship, claims he was exercising his religious liberty by worshiping at home on his private property, and that his gatherings were no different than when people hold Super Bowl or Christmas parties.

The issue with Salman's case was a building in his backyard, which the City said he constructed without abiding by legal codes and safety standards. The building, reportedly used for weekly gatherings of about 30 to 40 people, has a pulpit and chairs. The building, located on his 1.5-acre property, is about 2,000 square feet and was previously labeled a "game room" by Salman but organized on the inside for worship services.

Salman, who describes himself as a "Pastor of the Christian faith" and was ordained in 1996 by Church of God in Christ elders, has spoken out on the case in several videos published to his YouTube Channel.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

City Permit Required for Bible Study in Calif.

Chuck and Stephanie Fromm have paid hundreds of dollars in fines to the City of San Juan Capistrano for covertly reading the Bible with friends in their home, and could face architectural and traffic study costs to obtain a "conditional use permit" for any home Bible study to continue.

Being caught in any such activity again without approval, could result in fines of $500 per Bible study session.

For background, read 'Big Brother' Requires Permit for Home Bible Study and also read Another Calif. City Restricts Home Bible Studies as well as Arizona City Bans Bible Studies in Homes

UPDATE 9/21/11: One week later, mainstream media discover the story

-- From "Capistrano Couple in Legal Battle for Hosting Bible Study in Home" by Jonathan Volzke, The Capistrano Dispatch 9/13/11

Stephanie Fromm hosts a Bible study on Wednesdays that draws about 20 people, while Chuck Fromm’s Sunday-morning gathering draws as many as 50. But in the neighborhood of large homes on even larger lots—the Fromms live in a 4,700-square-foot home on a parcel that also has a corral, barn, pool and huge back lawn—Stephanie Fromm said parking was never a problem. Neither was noise, she said.

The Fromms’ citations say they violated section 9-3.301 of the Capistrano Municipal Code, which prohibits “religious, fraternal or non-profit” organizations in residential neighborhoods without a conditional-use permit. The footnote on the section says it “Includes churches, temples, synagogues, monasteries, religious retreats, and other places of religious worship and other fraternal and community service organizations.”

The Fromms are being represented in their lawsuit, an appeal of the hearing officer’s decision, by Michael Peffer of the Pacific Justice Institute in Santa Ana. The trial is set for October 7 in Laguna Hills.

The Fromms are 18-year residents of Capistrano . . . Chuck Fromm is publisher of Worship Leader Magazine . . . an international 20-year-old magazine for pastors, worship leaders, musicians, vocalists, sound and visual techs, technology stewards, artists and others.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "First Amendment under attack in SoCal" By Rick Silva, Paradise Post 9/15/11

[A city official] told the couple that regular gatherings of more than three people require a conditional-use permit.

. . . The city rejected the Fromm's appeal, so the Pacific Justice Institute has appealed the decision to the California Superior Court in Orange County.

But if those same 20 people roll over to the ol' homestead 20 times a year for some football, beer and fun, they don't? Or do they? Could those football parties be considered fraternal? Perhaps every week they have a barbecue and plot the recall of the entire city council. That might be worth the conditional-use permit.

The very notion that government can require such a conditional-use permit under the guise of "land use" should scare everyone who is involved in religious, political or non-profit gatherings.

To read the entire opinion column above, CLICK HERE.

From "City demands Christians get permit for Bible study" by Bob Unruh, World Net Daily 9/16/11

"Imposing a heavy-handed permit requirement on a home Bible study is outrageous," said Brad Dacus, president of Pacific Justice Institute, which is working on the case on behalf of the Fromms.

. . . "An informal gathering in a home cannot be treated with suspicion by the government, or worse than any other gathering of friends, just because it is religious. We cannot allow this to happen in America, and we will fight as long and as hard as it takes to restore this group's religious freedom."

Pacific Justice said it has represented larger churches that have been required to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars as part of the permit process on such items as engineering and traffic studies, architectural designs. The process includes public hearings and ultimately can result in a rejection by the city.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

City Targets Growing Church, Halts Construction

The City of Medina, Minnesota is trying to stop a 1,000-plus-member church from moving ahead with its building expansion plans—on its own property.

Meanwhile, the church pursues alternate plans in nearby town.

-- From "Woodridge Church opening in Delano" by Starrla Cray, Staff Writer, Harold Journal (Delano, MN) 3/8/10

Woodridge Church in Medina is branching out to the Delano community, with a new church opening soon in the Delano Elementary School building.

On a typical Sunday, more than 1,000 people gather for worship at Woodridge in Medina.

In order to accommodate increasing numbers, Woodridge began planning a future expansion. The City of Medina, however, didn’t approve the church’s plans at its site at 1500 Hennepin County Road 24.

About 100 members of Woodridge in Medina are from the Delano area, [Adult Ministry Pastor Greg] Seeger said.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Minnesota City Halts Church Expansion Plans" by Jennifer LeClaire, Charisma Media, 2/4/11

Alliance Defense Fund (ADF) attorneys filed a lawsuit Thursday on behalf of Woodridge Church against the city of Medina for allegedly manufacturing a new zoning ordinance to prevent the church from building a new 42,000-square foot facility.

Shortly after Woodridge Church submitted its application for the expansion, city officials placed a moratorium on church construction citywide for one year. During that time, the city created a new zoning district. The new district prohibits construction of any building over 40,000 square feet. The church’s planned expansion is 42,000 square feet.

Woodridge Church owns nearly 28 acres of property and has recently expanded to more than 1,000 members. To accommodate its various growing ministries, the church began working with city officials in April 2008 to develop plans in compliance with the city code before submitting its building application.

ADF attorneys contend that the city’s restrictive zoning ordinance is in direct violation of the U.S. Constitution, the Minnesota Constitution, and federal law--specifically, the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act, which prevents zoning officials from singling out churches for discriminatory treatment.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

Neighbor Disturbed by Cross on the Hill

To Richard and Joan Downing, the 24-foot-tall cross on a hilltop on their [800-acre] property is an expression of their faith. To a state commission that regulates land use, it is out of character with the natural beauty of the rural neighborhood and should come down.



-- From "Family fighting for their cross" by Dave Gram, Associated Press 8/16/10

The Downings, lifelong Roman Catholics in their late 70s, own about 800 acres outside the village of Lyndonville [Vermont]. In 2005, they opened a chapel on their property to serve their family: seven children, three of them adopted, and the 35 foster children they raised, mainly at their other home in Sherborn, Mass.

The couple decided two years after building the chapel to add a Cross . . .

The issue went before the District 7 Environmental Commission, and the commission ruled that the Downings would need an amended permit for the cross. When the Downings applied, the commission denied the amended permit, saying that under Vermont's land-use law, the cross would create "an adverse effect on the scenic or natural beauty of the area ...."

Assistant Attorney General Robert McDougall, representing the state, says that when the issue is religious liberty, the courts usually try to see whether restrictions pose a "substantial burden" on someone's free exercise of their faith.

Another round of legal arguments is expected this month.

To read the entire article, CLICK HERE.

Atheists Fail to Stop Texas Cross Sculpture

After a nine-year battle, a seven story symbol of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ has been erected by The Coming King Foundation (TCKF) along Interstate 10 at Kerrville, TX.

-- From "77'7" Kerrville Cross Raised on IH-10, Ending 9 Year Epic Struggle" Christian Newswire 7/28/10

This historic event caps a 9-year epic struggle to raise the cross which included several financial "miracles", threats and attacks by atheists and others opposed to the cross, numerous letters to the media and city government, and a lawsuit filed by neighboring landowners which was settled.

The spiritual park, located at the main entrance of Kerrville, looks like the "Holy Land" and happens to be at the same latitude as Israel. The "Hill Country" town of Kerrville is home to about 23,000 people.

The unique hollow cross symbolizes the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. The "walk-in" cross sculpture is being displayed at the top of a 1,930' hill, at the end of a 100-yard-long, cross-shaped Garden. The Garden when completed, will display 77 Biblical scriptures on 16" etched ceramic tiles in multiple languages.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "A cross to bear" by Mark Armstrong, Kerrville Daily Times 7/27/10

In posts on Facebook and in Letters to the Editor, many area residents have expressed disappointment and a strong opposition to the giant cross.

The raising of the cross had been the subject of litigation after neighbors in the adjoining subdivisions filed suit against the foundation, claiming the cross would violate deed restrictions of the land. In the suit, they argued the land could not be used for commercial purposes.

The lawsuit was eventually settled and, since the site is outside the city limits, none of the city’s zoning regulations applied to the land.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

Another Calif. City Restricts Home Bible Studies

Officials in the city of Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., who had ordered participants of a home Bible study either to purchase an unobtainable city permit to meet or shut down, now are relenting a little. . . . but they are reserving the right to shut down other Bible studies.

-- From "Southern California City Says Home Bible Group Must Get Permit" by The Associated Press 3/17/10

Rancho Cucamonga is trying to halt Friday night meetings at a home after receiving a complaint in February from a neighbor that 40 to 60 people were gathering weekly in the San Bernardino County location.

Officials said the homeowner needs a conditional use permit by Good Friday, April 2, to operate a church in a residential area.

Pacific Justice Institute, a nonprofit legal defense group that specializes in conservative Christian issues, said the meetings were actually a Bible study group that usually draws about 15 people.

Last September, complaints by neighbors about traffic problems prompted the city to order Joe and Diana Johnson to get a church permit or shut down Christian gatherings at their home. The city eventually allowed the meetings to continue without a permit.

Also last year, San Diego County apologized to a pastor and his wife who were cited and told to get a permit for a weekly Bible study session that drew five to 27 people to their Bonita home.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "SoCal city drops threat against Bible group" by The Associated Press 3/30/10

Rancho Cucamonga has withdrawn a demand that a home Bible study group get a permit or shut down.

Linda Courtney with the Building and Safety Department says Tuesday that it was a misunderstanding and the order was rescinded last week after officials met with the pastor.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "City opens door a crack for home Bible studies" by Bob Unruh © 2010 WorldNetDaily 3/30/10

Brad Dacus, whose Pacific Justice Institute is working on the case, said then it appeared city officials were deliberately choosing to close down the study, which had been ordered to cease by Good Friday.

The city's letter insisted the study is not allowed because it is a "church," Dacus said. In the city, churches are required to obtain a Conditional Use Permit in residential areas.

But the institute now has confirmed Rancho Cucamonga has dropped its pending enforcement action against the group, although the way is not yet clear for others to meet.

Pacific Justice reported the mayor and other city officials even visited the Friday night Bible study last week.

"However, while the city has dropped its enforcement action against the Bible study group, the city has indicated that it did so only because it determined that the Friday night group did not appear to be a 'church,'" according to a new Justice Institute report.

"In a letter to Pacific Justice Institute last week, an attorney for the city defended the city's requirement that all churches in residential zones are illegal unless they obtain a costly permit. Thus, small home-based religious groups that consider themselves churches or meet on Sunday mornings instead of weeknights could still face severe enforcement action by the city at any time. And to date, city officials have taken no action to change this policy," the report said.

"We are very pleased that the City of Rancho Cucamonga saw the light and dropped their attempts to shut down this Friday night Bible study," said attorney Michael Peffer, who heads PJI's Southern California office.

"At the same time, we are concerned that the city appears determined to use the same heavy-handed tactics against house churches. We urge any church or Bible study group threatened by Rancho Cucamonga or any other local government to contact PJI immediately," he said.

The situation was similar to a dispute that arose recently in Gilbert, Ariz., and another last year in San Diego County.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

Arizona City Bans Bible Studies in Homes

The city of Gilbert, Ariz., has ordered a group of seven adults to stop gathering for Bible studies in a private home because such meetings are forbidden by the city's zoning codes.


UPDATE 7/5/12 - related story: Phoenix Christian Jailed for Home Worship Gatherings

-- From "Lawyers: Gilbert Town Code Unconstitutional" KPHO-TV CBS 5 Phoenix 3/13/10

The law is written into the Gilbert town code, and the legal battle began in November when the Oasis of Truth church began inside the home of Paster Joe Sutherland.

Seven adults and our children rotated homes several times a week for Bible Study, singing and fellowship, but a sign they placed on the road to advertise a Sunday service caught the eye of a Gilbert code compliance officer, who hit the church with a code violation.

"No neighbors complained," said Doug Napier, of the Alliance Defense Fund. "They weren't making noise. They weren't causing any problems. He just saw these signs and said, 'Well, our code says you can't meet together.'"

In fact, the Sutherlands' neighbors told CBS 5 News that they think the Gilbert law is ridiculous.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

-- From "Banished! City forbids Bible studies in homes" by Bob Unruh © 2010 WorldNetDaily 3/13/10

The issue was brought to a head when city officials wrote a letter to a pastor and his wife informing them they had 10 days to quit having the meetings in their private home.

The ban, however, prompted a response from the Alliance Defense Fund, which filed an appeal with the city as the first step in its campaign to overturn a provision it describes as illegal.

"The interpretation and enforcement of the town's code is clearly unconstitutional," said Daniel Blomberg, a member of the litigation team for ADF. "It bans 200,000 Gilbert residents from meeting in their private homes for organized religious purposes – an activity encouraged in the Bible, practiced for thousands of years, and protected by the First Amendment."

The town interprets its law so that "churches within its borders cannot have any home meetings of any size, including Bible studies, three-person church leadership meetings and potluck dinners," ADF said.

A city letter confirmed, "Given that the church is considered to be religious assembly, and given the LDC provisions prohibiting that use on Local streets without Use Permits and prohibiting it in single family residential structures, it follows that the church meetings cannot be held in the home."

"This ban is defended based upon traffic, parking, and building safety concerns. However, nothing in its zoning code prevents weekly Cub Scouts meetings, Monday Night Football parties with numerous attendees or large business parties from being held on a regular basis in private homes," the ADF said.

WND reported a similar situation in San Diego County. In that case, officials eventually withdrew a warning letter and a cease-and-desist order they had issued against a pastor who had been holding a weekly Bible study in his home.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

Aborted Fetus Photos Impact Local Residents in Massachusetts

[Pro-lifers] said they plan to be outside 111 Harvard St. [in Brookline Village] every day now that Women’s Health Services, a clinic that provides abortions, has relocated there after 17 years in Chestnut Hill.

-- From "Antiabortion demonstrators picket Brookline clinic opening" by Brock Parker, Boston Globe Correspondent 2/10/10

"We’re not going to go away," said Rita Russo of Norwood, who stood outside the clinic with a poster of Jesus draped around her neck yesterday. "It would be invisible if we weren’t here. We don’t want it to be invisible."

The presence of the protesters has already riled neighbors, who say the clinic should not be located in the area because a preschool, elementary school, homes, and small businesses are nearby.

Brookline’s Zoning Board of Appeals approved the clinic’s move last summer, but by then residents said protesters had already been on Harvard Street holding signs depicting a severed fetus head, and one protester had dressed in a Grim Reaper costume.

As a result, several of the neighbors, including businesses such as Little Corner Schoolhouse and Williams Piano, have filed a suit against the town for allowing the clinic to open.

The clinic is one of only a dozen left in the state that openly advertises it will perform abortions, said Andrea Miller, executive director of NARAL Pro-Choice Massachusetts.

That number is down from 17 in 2002, according to a NARAL study released last fall, and the drop is indicative of a nationwide decline in access to clinics that provide abortions, Miller said.

Businesses nearby on Harvard Street felt the presence of the protesters yesterday, as well.

Several demonstrators ended up standing in front of Williams Piano on Harvard Street yesterday because a state-mandated buffer zone requires protesters to stand at least 35 feet away from entrances to abortion clinics.

To read the entire article, CLICK HERE.

Christian School Construction Opposed, Favoring Animals

Area residents successfully oppose sale of 100 acres of land to Colorado Christian University.

-- From "Opposition to Christian campus in Highlands Ranch 'overwhelming'" by Mike McPhee, The Denver Post 1/13/10

The Colorado Christian University, which sits on a 30-acre campus in Lakewood, attempted to buy a prime spot in the hills south of Highlands Ranch where it wanted to build a residential campus for up to 2,700 students, along with staff and faculty. The site is southwest of the Skyridge Medical Center near Lincoln Avenue and Interstate 25

The plan was presented publicly for the first time on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving by the Highlands Ranch Community Association and Shea Properties, which developed parts of the subdivision. Fierce opposition grew quickly, to the point that nearly 500 opponents jammed a public hearing on Jan. 6.

On Monday, the school withdrew its offer to purchase the land and said it would look elsewhere.

The land is considered open space but is zoned for limited use for schools, recreation such as golf courses or cultural events, said Gordon Von Stroh, a DU business school professor and member of the HRCA's development review committee.

Residents said the property is a prime wildlife viewing area and a well used wildlife corridor.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Colorado Christian withdraws bid" by Chris Michlewicz, Highlands Ranch Herald 1/18/10

Colorado Christian University had requested to purchase 100 acres of open space on Monarch Boulevard near Rocky Heights Middle School, but withdrew its bid in the face of widespread community opposition.

The university’s president, Bill Armstrong, issued a statement on the decision, saying “the management and board of HRCA listened courteously to our idea, but it quickly became obvious that there is little chance the board will decide to sell. So, we are now taking our proposal off the table and moving on.”

CCU proposed the expanded Highlands Ranch campus as a center of academic excellence, as well as musical, cultural, and athletic events and facilities to benefit the local community.

Charles Newton, a Highlands Ranch resident, supported the university and said it could bring an increase in sales tax revenue because students and faculty would visit local businesses. He said the university would have provided “a big boost to the cultural and fiscal aspects of Highlands Ranch.”

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

Calif. Government Favors Booze over Jesus

A federal judge scolded San Diego County for closing a Christian church's worship center and ordered officials to process permits needed by the congregation to remedy violations.

-- From "Judge scolds San Diego County for closing church" by Alyssa Farah © 2008 WorldNetDaily 11/28/08

The ruling found that Guatay Christian Fellowship, on Old Highway 80 in San Diego County, probably will win its lawsuit against the county, which had shut down the building and banned the congregation from meeting there over a zoning issue.

County officials said the building could be used for a bar, but not worship, and ordered the church, which had rented the building for nearly 25 years, to close under the threat of criminal penalties and fines of up to $2,500 per day.

The county also threatened to contact the electrical company and instruct it to cut power to the structure.

However, U.S. District Judge Jeffrey T. Miller, in his ruling, said, "The county's actions in this case were draconian," according to the officials with Pacific Justice Institute, which worked on the case.

To read the entire article, CLICK HERE.

Christian Groups Told They Must Purchase 2.5 Acres of Land to Hold Bible Study

From Miami-Dade County officials: Buy 2.5 acres, or cancel Bible study, press release from the Alliance Defense Fund

MIAMI — Attorneys with the Alliance Defense Fund filed suit Friday on behalf of two groups of Christians told they must purchase 2.5 acres of land before meeting for prayer and Bible study. Miami-Dade County officials slapped International Outreach Center and Worldwide Agape Ministries with orders to cease and desist meeting unless members can procure the acreage required, even if only two or three people are in attendance.

“People can gather each week at someone’s home to watch football, but they can’t gather to read the Bible and pray without being forced to buy 2.5 acres of land. I think that would strike most people as ridiculous,” said ADF Senior Legal Counsel Joel Oster. “It is unconstitutional for the county to bully these ministries when there is no minimum acreage requirement for other assembly-use businesses, such as pool halls, theaters, convention centers, and private clubs.”

Read the rest of this article